Joint safety-lock.



BEST AVAILABLE COPY c. 1. SMITH.

JOINT SAFETY LOCK. APPLICATION FILED AUG.2. 1915.

Patented Dec. 5,1916.

CHRISTOPHER 3. summer CLEVELAND, 01110.

JOINT SAFETY-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec 5, 1916.

Application filed August 2, ieis. Serial No. 43,062.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER J. SMITH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in JointSafety-Locks, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The objects of the invention are to provide a chair or clamping andsecuring means for the meeting extremities of track rails for the roadbed of a steam or electric or other railway system, and the leadingfeatures of the invention comprise the combination and arrangement witha chair or base plate which overlaps the extremities of the rails on theunderside and reversed wedging members which engage the fishing spacesof the rails and interlock with raised edges upon the longitudinal sidesof the base plate.

The advantages of the device include simplicity of parts without the useof bolts or nuts, the adaptability to use with all tangents and withcurves of varying radii, and in the perfect interlocking of the partswhich prevents them from slipping or becoming loosened under the intensestrain 'of daily transportation service.

The invention further includes the manner of construction andcombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described,

shown in the accompanying drawings and.

specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings i re 1 is a plan view of the device adap toa curved track; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the base plate for the curved track; Fig. 4 is aperspective view of one of the curved wedges therefor.

In these views A, A, are rail extremities. B is a base plate whichoverlaps these extremities and upon which the rails rest. Thelongitudinal edges of this base plate are upwardly flanged at B, B andundercut, to receive the outer edges of the locking wedge members C, Gwhich are positioned longitudinally of the rails, and are reversed inposition. Their lower edges-c, 0' enter underneath-the undercut flangesof the base plate, and their upper edges 0, c are thrust underneath theoverhanging edges of the rail heads. These wedge members or plates arereversely placed and when driven snugly home securely clamp the railextremities to the base plate so that they cannot move laterally in anydirection, but are not prevented from expanding or contractinglongitudinally when affected by changes in temperature, since the endsof the rails are not brought closely together. The reason for extendingthe tapering ends of the wedge members in opposite directions is toequalize the pressure upon the opposite sides of the rails and keep themin perfect alinement with each other. i The wedge members are providedwith openings or notches c 0 through which the spikes D, D, areinserted, which attach the wedge members securely to the ties E, orother suitable foundation or support. This makes the wedge membersubstantially immovable and the inclined edges 0' are formedintermediate of these openings.

If desired to obtain greater immobility of the base plate openings F, F,can be made in the base flanges of the rails and complementary lugs F,Fcan be formed upon the base plate to engage the same. The engagingmeans between the rail extremities and base plate B are essential toprevent creeping of the plate under the vibration and propellingmovement of heavy loads upon'the track. The fitting of the lugs to therecesses F is not close, but permits the expansion of the rails.

The advantages of the device for promoting quick track laying areobvious since no holes have to be bored or bolts and nuts attached, andfor railway yards and for temporary tracks as well as for permanenttracks the utility is great.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 a curved structure is shown in use upon a curvedtrack and road bed. Here the rail extremities A, A, rest upon a curvedbase plate B shaped to conform to the arc of the curve and havingconcentric eircumferential edges. Upon these edges are shown engagingand retaining means B, B for the outer edges of the tapering lockingmembers, G, C, the upper edges 0 of which engage the undersides of therail heads. These tapering or wedging of rails upon a curved road bed,the com-- entering notches c inthe taper members are also shown inFig. 1. In this manner the a is experienced, and a perfect joint isobtained resisting all strains put upon it. It is understood that theradii ofcurvature for the outer wedges are greater than the radii ofcurvature of the inner wedge, and they cannot be used interchangeably.

Having described the invention what I claim asv new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

' 1. In a locking device for the extremities bination therewith of acurved base plate corresponding in curvature to the curvature of theroad bed, said bed plate overlapping said extremities and provided withrail engaging means at its circumferential edges, and .reverselypositioned curved tapering members arranged parallel with said rails andinterposed between said engaging means in said bed plate and said rails,substantially as and for. the purpose set forth.

2. In a safety lock for the extremities of rails upon a curved road bed,the combination therewith of a curved base plate overlapping said railextremities and provided with engaging means upon its circumferentialedges, curved reversely placed tapered members interposed between saidengaging means and said rail extremitieaand securing means for said bedplate and said tapered members.

- hers having radii for their rail'engaging faces equal to the radii ofcurvature of said rail extremities, and different radii for theiropposite faces.

4. Curved rail extremities, in combination with a base plate having itscircumferential edges raised and concentric and curved to correspond tothe curvature of the said. rails, said rail extremities mounted uponsaid base plate and spaced from said raised edges, and curved taperingmembers interposable between said rail extremities and saidcircumferential edges of said base plate, said tapering members havingeach the radius of its outer face of a different length than the radiusof its inner face.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 22" day of July19l5.

CHRISTQPHER J. SMITH.

In presence of- Wm. M. MONROE.

